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Ethan Bennett
Biography First appearances In The Batman, Ethan is one of the most respected members of the Gotham City Police Department, and Bruce Wayne's best friend. Whereas his partner, Detective Ellen Yin, sees things in black and white, Ethan sees the grey in most everything, and is more willing to allow the Batman to co-exist with the Gotham P.D. In fact, he often finds himself wondering if this caped vigilante he is pursuing is actually helping the city. During most of Season 1, Ethan defends the Batman and his actions, while Yin often disagrees. In the episode "The Rubberface of Comedy," Ethan's superior, Chief Angel Rojas, orders the entire police force to take down every masked and costumed "freak" in Gotham City. Ethan protests, defending the Batman as an asset to the city and crediting him with helping to capture Joker. In response, an infuriated Rojas suspends him. Becoming Clayface In "The Clayface of Tragedy", Ethan is captured and tortured by Joker, and nearly driven insane. Yin and the Batman rescue him, but not before he is exposed to Joker's "Joker Putty" formula; inhaling it, Ethan begins immediately coughing, and the formula takes effect. When the "Joker Putty" touches a surface, it turns it to just that: a malleable putty. When Ethan inhales it, the concoction infests his system, and transforming him into Clayface, a deadly shapeshifting monster who uses his powers to get revenge on Joker. Clayface kidnaps Rojas and attempts to kill him, but is foiled by Batman and Yin, and escapes capture by slithering down a drain pipe. During a talk between Bruce Wayne and Yin in a diner, Clayface appears for a few seconds, and the two run after him. However, he disappears before they can catch him. Clayface returns in the episode "Meltdown", where he goes to Arkham Asylum to kill the Joker, but Batman stops him. Clayface later goes on trial for his crimes, with Hugo Strange giving him a clean bill of mental health. He is put on probation: if he uses his powers again, he will be put back in Arkham. Clayface becomes Ethan Bennett again, and gets a job from his friend, Bruce Wayne. When the Joker breaks out of Arkham to wreak chaos, Ethan becomes determined to save others from his fate, and becomes Clayface again in an attempt to stop the Clown Prince of Crime. At first, he and Batman work together to bring the crazed supervillain down, but after Batman confronts him for his violation of court orders, Ethan feels betrayed. He becomes Clayface permanently (or so as the people of Gotham thought), and is put back in Arkham. Solomon Grundy In the episode "Grundy's Night," A creature known as Solomon Grundy, an old legend, is attacking Gotham on Halloween. It soon turns out that he's really Clayface in disguise. Batman and Clayface fight in a wax museum where Batman defeats him and Clayface is sent back to Arkham Aylum. Cured In the episode "Clayfaces," Ethan promises to give up his life of crime to use his powers for good.Bennett seems to have finally reformed. He tracks down and captures the Joker, disguising himself as the Joker's henchmen, Punch and Judy. He hands him over the police without using excessive force, and turns himself in to the authorities, who take him to Arkham Asylum. However, Bennett has not completely regained Bruce Wayne's (and Batman's) trust. He is eager to leave Arkham and continue working as a police officer, although Batman refuses to consider this request until Bennett is cured, citing he could easily go back to crime. Ethan then fights a new Clayface. Together, Ethan and Batman confront Basil Karlo, the new Clayface. At the end of the episode, Ethan is cured from his condition when Batman fires an antidote into the two, and he is taken away to Arkham. While Ethan has been completly cured of his mutation, Basil Karlo still retains his powers. It is hinted in "Artifacts" that is the possible future, Ethan is permanently cured, and becomes the new Chief of Gotham PD in the year 2027. Appearances As Ethan Bennett: * The Bat in the Belfry * Traction * Call of the Cobblepot * The Man Who Would Be Bat * The Big Chill * The Cat and the Bat (cameo) * Topsy Turvey * The Rubberface of Comedy * The Clayface of Tragedy * Meltdown * Clayfaces As Clayface: * The Clayface of Tragedy * Meltdown * Grundy's Night * Clayfaces In other media The character was incorporated (to a limited extent) into The Batman Strikes! comic book series after his appearance in the animated series. In the comic book, Clayface pulls a stunt similar to turning into Solomon Grundy and turned into Catwoman to frame her for his robberies. Afterward he began a series of "copycat crimes" based on cases he solved as a detective. In "Hit and Run", he turns into Joker and steals the Batmobile to get Batman to find Joker's hideout so he can take his revenge. In "Escape," he is manipulated by Hugo Strange to steal a chip that would help him get rid of the "voices" in his head. However, Strange uses it to control him, and turns him into a giant designed to wreak havoc on the city. He is eventually freed by Batman, and the two work together to stop Strange. Bennett, Ethan